RNAS CULDROSE 4

PENZANCE 2

RNAS Culdrose ended a good week in the Jolly's Combination League with six points in five days as they defeated Penzance rather more convincingly than the scoreline suggests.

The visitors battled for the full 90 minutes, but the servicemen squandered a hatful of chances in both halves and should have won by a much wider margin.

It looked pretty good for Culdrose when they took the lead after just six minutes when Jeff Lonegran curled a superb free kick into the net that had the goalkeeper rooted to the floor.

The home side dominated possession, but the game was too fragmented and scrappy and as a result not too much cohesive football was played.

Chris Morris should have added to the scoreline when he was through in a one-on-one with the 'keeper Damien Norman, but it was the visiting custodian who came out on top.

However, he was not so fortunate ten minutes before the break when one of Culdrose's better moves ended with a good finish from Nick Slade.

The Magpies, without a win and bottom of the table, belied their position at the start of the second half when they took the game to Culdrose and were duly rewarded when Mark Grenfell scored from a penalty after a foul by John Brooks.

The goal did more for Culdrose than it did for Penzance and they began to settle down and put the visitors under pressure. Midway through the half Marvin Brooks netted the third goal with a terrific header from eight yards after he timed his run and jump to perfection.

Substitute Phil Nicholson wasted no time in making a name for himself when after just ten minutes after coming on he scored with a diving header from Ben Stidwell's cross.

A plucky Penzance side never gave up the cause and almost immediately replied with a goal after a lack of communication in the home defence, but there was never any suggestion they would be able to get anything from the game against a side that will be wondering how they missed so many chances.

Earlier in the week two cracking goals from Nick Slade earned Culdrose a useful 2-1 win away to Falmouth Town.

This Saturday Culdrose are away to St Columb Major in the preliminary round of the Cornwall Senior Cup. Their opponents are in division one of the Palladium Builders East Cornwall League.

RNAS Culdrose: J Brown, D Row, J Brooks, I Pattison, B Stidwell, I Head, J Lonegran, M Brooks, J Adam, C Morris, N Slade. Subs: C O'Hare, P Nicholson, C James.